A bit too early perhaps for thinking about using green tomatoes, but this recipe is worth making as soon as you have some full-sized unripe green tomatoes.
If, like us, you find green tomato chutney a bit boring and more a matter of “making the best of a bad job” at the end of a poor tomato season, try this one which we have adapted from Nick Sandon and Johnny Acton’s book Preserved. We make it every year and it gives green tomato chutney a whole new dimension.

GRILLED GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY

500 g green tomatoes
275 ml cider or white wine vinegar
50 ml balsamic vinegar
125 g muscovado sugar
100 g dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2.5 cm lump of ginger roughly sliced
2 teaspoons of mustard seeds
2 teaspoons of Szechwan or black pepper
2 medium dried chilis
10 fresh sage leaves
a couple of sprigs of rosemary
a couple of sprigs each of thyme and oregano
1 medium onion chopped
500 g apples peeled and chopped


Slice the tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil, then place on a very hot griddle pan until browned but still firm and uncooked.
Heat the vinegars in a pan and add the sugars, stirring till dissolved.
Put the ginger, mustard seeds, pepper and chilis into a muslin spice bag.
Chop the char-grilled tomatoes and put into a pan with the rest of the ingredients.
Simmer for at least two hours, stirring occasionally, until the chutney is your desired consistency.

Pour into sterilised jars with non- metal lids. The amounts above are enough for 3-4 medium jars.

Store in a dark place for at least 3 months.

Do try it - you'll not regret it - guaranteed.

Cheers for that Alan.

I made some last year from an allotment book
and they were rubbish - unfortunately gave some
away but did get the bottes back promtish.

Will try your recipe this year.

Westi

Thanks Alan.
Slice the tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil, then place on a very hot griddle pan until browned but still firm and uncooked.
Cut side down or skin down ?
Cheers.

Both sides

Dear Alan, are you sure thats not a Hellmans recipe.

I have a good crop of Italian plum tomatoes and will definitely be trying this recipe. The usual green tomato chutney recipes are usually little more than a way of using up what should more rightly be consigned to the (compost) bin

Wish I'd seen this recipe earlier, am making Hugh F-whittingstall's 'glutney' using up some of courgette glut plus green blighted toms.

Hi,
I've just made a big pot of Delia's chutney and it is very vinegary - should i add more sugar to counteract that?

Hi Peter. sounds delicious and will give it a try. Please would you tell me;
a) two teaspoons black pepper. Is this peppercorns?
b) sage, rosemary,thyme and oregano. would dried leaves be okay instead of fresh?
Many thanks.

Hi Elaine

Do you mean "Hi Alan"?

If so, roughly ground pepper, and dried herbs would be fine.

Dear Alan, could you please fax me over a small sample so that I can have a taster before trying it for myself I'm hanging on with the outdoor tomatoes as long as possible in the hope that I won't have many green tomatoes to deal with, but if I do, I'll try your recipe. Last time I made chutney I went overboard and made enough for about ten years so that's a mistake I won't repeat.

Dear Alan,

Is that cooking apples or dessert apples?

I have loads of green toms left this year so will be giving it ago aswell.

Thank you

Dear DD

We always use eating apples.

Hi Alan. So sorry about getting your name wrong, can't imagine how I managed it. . Can only put it down to a senior moment. (hormones, dear)
Thank you for answering my query.
I am still cringing with embarrassment.......
Cheers.

Thank you Alan, this is a great recipe. I let the tomatoes get a bit mushy while grilling them, but it still came out very well. I have had a taste of the bit that didn't fit into the jars and it is just right. I don't like vinegary chutneys. I'll just have to make myself wait for the rest of it to mature a while like you suggest.